Does anyone have a set of those fancy metal or gemstone dice? I've seen them advertised. The metal sets are either steel, brass. Saw one set gold or silver plated. Also saw sets advertised made from real semi-precious stones like garnet, agate, etc.

How do they roll? Do they hold up to regular use?

rabkala

02-05-2008, 11:09 AM

I know one of the threads had degenerated into dice talk a little while back. I don't know if a search would find the hijacked thread. I made/machined some steel dice myself due to my line of work. I found the prices they want for these things unreal. Mine hold up well and seem to roll truly random. They do sound extra cool when you roll a bunch of them. ;)

I remember Tesral had said he encountered the stone dice, and feared to use them due to their fragile and expensive nature. I don't know if I would trust them either.

Yet another thread degenerated into talking about casino dice being precision instruments.

Any help?

Farcaster

02-05-2008, 11:30 AM

I have a set of Crystal Caste Dwarven Metal Brass dice, and I am very happy with them. They do get really minor denting over time, though. But it is really barely noticeable unless you examine them closely.

tesral

02-05-2008, 11:39 AM

I have a 25mm brass d20. It's more for fun that for use. I like the look of the stone dice, but they are fragile in use and very expensive.

TAROT

02-05-2008, 12:38 PM

I have a pair of brass d6s, they have a tendency to go thump, and maybe flip once, unless they land on a corner, in which case, they have a tendency to leave a gouge in the table top.

cplmac

02-05-2008, 01:39 PM

I don't have any, only because I could not bring myself to spend the type of money that they were asking for. Some of them are so outrageously priced, I wonder if anybody has ever bought them.

I have read on here about the "casino dice" that are supposed to be better made. When I saw the numerical spec on them, it didn't seem like there was that drastic of a difference.

tesral

02-05-2008, 03:31 PM

I have read on here about the "casino dice" that are supposed to be better made. When I saw the numerical spec on them, it didn't seem like there was that drastic of a difference.

There is. I have done micrometer comparisons between Chessx d6 and the Harvey's d6 I have. The ones from the casino are much tighter tolerance.

cplmac

02-05-2008, 03:46 PM

There is. I have done micrometer comparisons between Chessx d6 and the Harvey's d6 I have. The ones from the casino are much tighter tolerance.

If I remember correctly, the one had a number of .00x and the other .000x for the tolerances. Now I am not a machinist, but both my father and one brother are. I know how it makes a huge difference when making parts for machines, whether it's a 2 ton press, a pair of hand pliers, or the inside parts of a razor. It just don't seem like it could make that much of a difference to how a die rolls, since it doesn't have to fit inside something else. I mean, the difference in the measurement is so minute that it doesn't seem like it would affect the die rolling that much.

Now if the center of mass were to be off to one direction as opposed to being dead center, that I would definately understand drastically affecting the way the die rolls.

Mulsiphix

02-05-2008, 04:35 PM

I know one of the threads had degenerated into dice talk a little while back.

Yet another thread degenerated into talking about casino dice being precision instruments.

Any help?Pretty sure the thread your talking about is the Show Me Your Dice! (http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4916) thread :p

cplmac

02-05-2008, 04:41 PM

I was thinking that since those same gem stones lose pieces in nature, I would think that as they are being rolled that little chips could break off of them. Eventually this would make them not be really good to obtain random numbers.

Farcaster

02-05-2008, 05:27 PM

I would like a set of the amethyst and quartz dice, but I'd never use them for gaming. They'd be relegated to be show-dice only.

rabkala

02-05-2008, 05:31 PM

Pretty sure the thread your talking about is the Show Me Your Dice! (http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4916) thread :p
No, that thread came about after the first two became slightly derailed.

Mulsiphix

02-05-2008, 05:43 PM

Then it was the Dead Player: How Does It Work? (http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4743&page=6) thread. Page 6, post #89 - all the way to - Page 8, post #106 ;)

razada

02-06-2008, 04:12 PM

i have a single die that i adore, an emerald d6, about half the size of a reg die, found the emerald in i think utah, or nevada. at a rock mining family place. got it cut for free. pretty cool

Farcaster

02-06-2008, 05:46 PM

Very AWESOME! Do you have a pic, Raz?

Mulsiphix

02-07-2008, 04:01 AM

i have a single die that i adore, an emerald d6, about half the size of a reg die, found the emerald in i think utah, or nevada. at a rock mining family place. got it cut for free. pretty cool:eek: THAT IS SO COOL! Do you have a picture?! I watched a documentary on rock mining places on the Travel channel recently. They went all over the USA to the different places you could mine your own rocks and jewels. They had these rocks that naturally glowed in the dark. I wanted to go there and mine some and have a nice polyhedral set made out of them. Pretty darn cheap to do this kinda thing too. Soooo cool :D

upidstay

02-09-2008, 03:03 PM

I'd love to see that emerald dice pic. be careful rolling that baby, emeralds chip easily.

Mulsiphix

02-10-2008, 12:27 AM

I've been trying to find ruby dice. Not ruby red or fake rubies. The real deal. Can't find a single die made out of ruby :(

tesral

02-10-2008, 12:28 AM

I've been trying to find ruby dice. Not ruby red or fake rubies. The real deal. Can't find a single die made out of ruby :(

Ruby is expensive stuff. The stone dice makers might not see any return in dice that expensive. Lab created rubies souldn't cost too much.

Mulsiphix

02-10-2008, 12:40 AM

I figured it would be more "collection" material than anything else. I as hoping somebody out there wanted them bad enough to have one made though. Not that nobody hasn't but they haven't showcased it on the internet yet :mad:

nijineko

02-10-2008, 04:58 AM

i'll hold out for amethyst, myself. i know that they are out there. ^^ i just can't justify spending the money on them. now if i found the stones myself....